Endless track vehicle



April 4, 1933. H. H. TALBoYs ENDLEss TRACK VEHICLE Original Filed Feb. 12, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l original Filed Feb. 12, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 llll les

feraz" jf jZcZ ,5 @y j April 4, 1933. H. H. TALBoYs ENDLESS TRACK VEHICLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Feb. 12, 1930 hw QN a AQQQWT 'April 4, 1933- H. H. TALBoYs 1,903,380

ENDLESS TRACK VEHICLE I Original Filed Feb. 12, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 y--base plateA. Upon this turn tablelthehoist-` kAug. 30, 1932:

Patented Apr. 4, 1933 UNITED STATES HENRY TALBOYS, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AVSSIGNOR TO NORDBERG MANU- FACTURING COMPANYOF MILWAUKEE,.WISCON SIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN ENDLESS TRACK VEHICLE Original' application filed February 12; 1930,' Serial No. 427,736; Divided and this application led November 21, 1930;

r`One object is the provision of` adjustingmeans tor the endless track of a track layingl tractor. The present application is a division of application 427,736, tiledI on February 12, 1930, now Patent, No. 1,871,831, dated Other objects will appear from time to time inthe courseor" the'specification and claims.

l illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically. in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Figure 2 isa top plan view, with cover: plates omitted;

Figure Sis a section along the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure l is a section on the line 4.-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5er-5y of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a detail of the powery plant and rear sprocket unit.;

Figure 7is a section on the line7f-7 of Figure 1; and Y Figure 8 is a section on Figure 2.

Like parts kare indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationl and. claims.'

Referring lirstto Figure 1, Iill-ustrate a the line 8-8 of' generalV assembly in which a track laying" tractorlis associated with an excavating shovel.' In the remaining viewsthe shovel structure, which is shown in dottedV line in Figure 1 is omitted, it being understood that the details of the shovel itself form" no part ofthe present invention, and that a varietyv of: excavating andllifting mechanisms might be employed upon the support ing structure herein shown.

Referring to the drawings and for example to Figures 1 toil, A indicates a generali base plate structure. Mounted upon the base A is the mainturn table casting generally indicatedfas A1 whichincludes a base tion A2 which maybe bolted as at A to the Serial No. 497,087.

ing or bucket structure shown in V.dotted lineV in Figure 1 may be mounted in anysuitable manner, the details thereof. forming 'no partiy of the present invention and being not indicated herein except for the circular iange A4 ofv the turn table'proper. Extending lat-- erally from the base A2are bearingsupp'ortsi A5 in each of which is mounteda shaft A6. Mountedon each such-shaft A6 a' double?-` sprocket including the "sprocket portions A? 'i connected hy a hub A8. The hub portion-A8 is surroundedY by thev supporting split collar A9' associated with the bracket A1ov which' is*- securedzas at A11 to the baserlplate Passing. about the sprocketsfA7 `is the endl 651 lesstrack chain generally indicatedr asi Bf Y Vin anysuitable bearings B* associated with or welded .tothe bottomof the plateA;

The end of the track opposite the sprockets 75'lv A? passes about similar sprockets (L Each' v such sprocket C is mounted upon a shaft' G11;

One end of said Vshaft extends into' and is journalled` in the wall Vof Va sup'plem'entalH drive housinggenerally indicated. as C2." Theother end is supported bythebracket or split-r collar C3 which penetra-tesbeneath the"-indi vidualil sprocket members and about'their connecting hub C4 an'dforms a part of theVV housingnnit G2( The details of the'housing' 853 l or.V drive unit are's-liown foi-'example inFigJfv ures= 3, AL, `and 6; f Within the housingC2y and'uponthe shaft C1 is' the gear C5 in meshL with .th'efp'inion C? associated'witha'gear'C `whichiin turn vis in mesh with the drive pinionV 903 C8 whichismounted'on the driveshaftCf: actuated by any suitable power plant gen'er ally;` indicated as C10. It willbeundersto'odfy thatth'el power plantmay be Ydriven'b-y compressed airbut'the details vof the compressed 95" air drive do not `formpart' of thefpresent'- inventionv and' are not indicated; Referring- Y forvexa'mp'le to Figures 2,' 6 andi-7, aglongi-A`V Y, tudinal: adjustment of the drive housing' above.described"maylbe,` eilected' inre'l'atioii- 100-` Y Oppos- 'lol to the base plate A. For example the base plate A may be slotted as at D, D, in opposition to the holes D1 D1 in the botto-mof the member C2. The member C2 in turn may be slotted as at D2 D2. D3 D3 generally indicate bolts passing through these various slots, each such bolt being indicated as shown with a nut D4 and a washer D5, whereby the partsmay be locked at any desired adjustment. Referring in detail to Figure 7, D6 indicates a block or projection mounted upon or welded upon the base plate A to serve as an adjusting abutment. Interposed between it and the raised end portion D7 of the housing C2 maybe any desired'number of shims D2. These shims are apertured as at D9 in line with an aperture D1o in a block D6, to receive the positioning bolt D11. Depending upon the desired yadjustment the shims may be shifted from one side to another of a block D6. It .will be understood that by longitudinal adjustment of the driveI assembly the stretchof the belt or track may be compensated for with a minimum of disturbance ofthe driving mechanism since the en- A tirev driving unit for each belt is longitudinally adjustable on the base plate A and since" provide a key'way D15 and the key D16, whereby lateral displacement of the driving assembly is prevented. Each gear bo-x is provided with aremovable cover plate D17. I also provide a general enclosure which includes an end plate E welded to the end of the base plate A, and two forward or intermediate plates E1 E2. Mounted upon these plates is the general cover plate E3 and au additional coverV plate E1. Y

G generally indicates a ground engaging plate or adjustmentwhich includes a forwardground engaging portionV proper G1 the upper face of which is bevelled as at G2. G3 is an intermediate fiat portion and G1 indicates downwardly projecting supporting webs lying in the general plane of the lower surface G1. Rea'rwardly extending fromY the plate are extensions G5 which may be bolted to arms G11 which arms are pivoted at their opposlteendsfor'rotation about the shaft A6,

, whereby the vabutment or ground engaging plate is mounted upon and pivoted to the plate A2 which in turn is bolted to the base plate'A. The rear edge'of the plate G is provided with two pairs of rearwardly extending lugs G7 through-which pass the pins G8 to which are pivotedzthe links G9 the upper ends porting the shovel.

of which are pivoted as at G1o to the cross heads G11, which cross heads slide in guides G12, as shown in Figure 8. It will be understood that these guides G12 are part of the casting A1. Controlling the movement of the cross heads along the guides G12 are longitudinally extending tie rods G12, the opposite ends of which are secured to the yoke G14.

T he yoke G14, in turn, has longitudinal move-` rotation to the worm G15, for example aY ratchet might be employed. Note that the yoke is housed beneath the cover plate E1 and between the upstanding plates E1 and E2, the

ends of which are connected asy at E2", to prof vide a relatively complete housing structure.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my specific showing. yThe use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I illustrate my invention as applied to an` excavating shovel which is shown as mounted upon a crawler or track laying base. In excavating work in which a shovel is employed, the base must underliel the shovel structure,

.but it is preferable that the shovel or excavatsupport of the shovel. I therefore provide what isin eect a forward extension of the base which, however, is of such 'height asY not to interfere with the normal operation of the shovel.

This 'ground engaging member orl extension shoe or abutment extends forwardv .shovel is digging down under the ground, it

is necessary that ther ground engaging abutment be flush with the ground when it is sup- In this position it is shown in Figure l at the start of the shovel stroke. On the other hand, after the shovel has begun excavating, and it is desired to move the device forward, or to move it to another position, the abutment or extension shoe, if in the full line position of Figures 1 and 3, would prevent or impede forward progression. I therefore provide the means herein described for lifting the shoe into dotted line position, as shown in Figure 3, to permit the forward movement of the eX- cavator. I/Vhen the device is being forwardly moved, of course the shovel may be positioned at another position than that in whichit is shown in Figure l.

In the use of my device I provide a very simple control means for the extension shoe, namely the yoke G14 controlled by the worm G15. Assuming that this yoke is in the Vfull line position in which it is shown in Figures 2 and 3, a rotation of the Worm G15 will move the yoke to the dotted line position of Figure 3. As it moves it draws up on the tension or tie rods G13, which in turn move the cross heads G11 rearwardly along the guides G12. As these cross heads move to the rear, they draw up upon the plate G, through the links G9, and the plate or extension shoe takes the dotted line position in which it is shown in Figure 3. A reverse rotation of the worm returns it to ground engaging position. .The worm serves to lock the cross heads in forward position, and the vertical or practically vertical position of the links G9 prevents the exertion of any force upon the cross heads which would tend to thrust them rearwardly. It will be, seen, askin Figures l and 3, that when the bottom of the shoe islush with the bottom of the crawler, the links are practically vertical, and may be made absolutely vertical if desired. The thrust is therefore upwardly against the upper ange of the guides G12 which are formed of sufficient thickness and strength to stand this thrust. As above described, a separate housing or assembly is provided for each track of the crawler', each such housing or assembly having its ownmotor and gear reduction, the whole being slidable as a unit on the frame. While I have not gone into detail with the motors, it will vbe understood that I prefer to provide individual throttle or control means for the individual motors, whereby the operator may move the device forward by unitary operation of both motors, and may turn the device by operating one motor alone or by operating the two motors in opposite .di-

rection.

Since the length of the crawler chain may vary, due to wear, and due to repair or replacement of individual links or of the chain as a whole, I make the individual drive andv gear reduction assemblies adjustable along the base plate A. In making this adjustment I provide'the fixed blocks D6 upon the plate A and interpose any desired number of shims D81 between the blocks DG- andi the, assembly. or4v housing C2. j.

Ii claim: l

motor means and driving.V connection, said Y housing being slidably mounted uponsaid; movable support'. w

'3; The structure vof claim 1 characterized by the provision ofa housing containing said motor. means and driving. connection, said'y housing being slidably mounted upon said movable support, and means for securing it.. in various positions of adjustment.

4. In a movable support for-machineny andthelike, means for moving said support across a supporting surface, including end:- lessitracks, pulleys about which said Vtracks pass, a separate motor. means for each track,

associated with one` of the pulleys, a drivingconnection between each of said motor means kand the pulley with which it is associated, housing means for each, said, motor means and drivingeconnections,.and means` for, adjusting Vsaid' motor means, drivingconj nectionV and pulley as a unit in relation to' saidi movable support, including members Y Y fixed-upon said sup-port and a plurality of.-

shimsadapted to b-e interposed between said fixed members and the housings in which the driving means are housed. f

5. 'Ilhe structure, of lclaim` 4 characterized in that the housings are slidably movable along the support. V

6. Ina movable support for machinery` and the like,means for moving said support j across a supporting surface, including end-4 less tracks, pulleys about which saidtracks pass, a separate motor means for each track associated with oneV of said pulleys, and` means for adjusting each said motor means and pulley as a unit in relation to said movable support.

7. In a movable support vfor machinery and the like, means-formoving said support across a supporting surface, including endless tracks, pulleys about which said Ytracks pass, a separate motor means for each track associated with one of saidy pulleys, and

means for adjusting each said motor means and pulley as a unit inrelation to said movable support, and a housing, 1n which said` pulley and motor means is housed, movably mounted upon said support.

8. In a movable support for machinery `and the like, means for moving said support across a supporting surface, including cndless tracks, pulleys about which said tracks' pass, a separate motor means for each track associated With one of. said pulleys, and means for adjusting each said motor means and pulley as a unit in relation to said movable support7 and a housing, in. which said pulley and motor means is housed, slidably l mounted upon said support. Y

9. In a movable support for machinery `and the like, means for moving` said support across a supportingsurface,including end- Y less tracks, pulleys about which said tracks pass, a separate motor means foreach track associated with one'. ofV said pulleys, and means for adjusting` each said motor means and pulley as a unit in relation Vto said 'movable-support7 and a housing', in which said pulley and motor means is housed, movably nicunted upon said support, and means for securing' it in various positionsoif adjustment.

10. In a movable support for machinery and the like, a frame, endless tracks mounted on said frame, pulleys, mounted on said frame, about whi li said tracks pass, drive pulleys for each track, separate motor means for each track, each vassociated with one ofV the drive pulleys, and a unitary vsupport for each such associated drivel pulley and motor means, and a driving connection, associated with each said unitary support, between the motor means and its associated drive pulley, tlie unitary supports being mounted for movement in relation to the frame7 and separate means for holding each of them normally fiXedin relation to said frame.

SignedY atfMilwaukee, county of MilWa kee, and State of Wisconsin. this 18th day of October, V1930.

Y HENRY H. TALBOYS. 

